Wayne was working as an engineer at Atari when he was brought in by Steve Jobs to help persuade Steve Wozniak to form a computer company.

He drafted Apple’s original partnership agreement and was allocated a 10% stake, while Jobs and Wozniak held 45% each.

However, he exited the venture less than two weeks later, citing financial risk concerns.

He sold his share back for $800 and later received an additional $1,500 to formally relinquish any future claims to the company.

Today, with Apple valued at around $4 trillion, that 10% stake would theoretically be worth more than $400 billion.

Now 91, Wayne has spent most of his life working as an engineer away from Silicon Valley and currently lives in Nevada.

He has relied on Social Security and occasionally sells rare stamps and coins.

Despite the scale of what he walked away from, Wayne said he views the decision without regret.

“My success has never been defined by money,” he told Fortune. “It’s been defined by acting with clarity, integrity, and sound judgment, given what I actually knew at the time.”

He added that his view has become clearer over time as public narratives about Apple’s early days have evolved.

In 1976, Wayne said Apple was far from a guaranteed success.

He noted that Jobs had taken out a $15,000 loan to fulfil its first order, and he was aware of the financial risks, including potential personal liability tied to the partnership structure.

Unlike his co-founders, Wayne already owned a house and other assets, which he feared could be exposed if the business failed.

He has since used his experience to caution young entrepreneurs, as interest in starting businesses grows among graduates.

A recent survey cited by ZipRecruiter found that nearly 38% of graduates in the classes of 2025 and 2026 are considering launching their own companies.

Wayne warned aspiring founders to fully understand legal and financial risks in partnerships.

“Each partner can be held responsible for the full amount of any obligation,” he said, advising entrepreneurs to seek legal counsel and understand exposure beyond ownership percentages.

While largely living a quiet life outside the tech industry, Wayne has occasionally leaned into his unusual place in Apple’s history, including recent promotional work with Anheuser-Busch for the return of Busch Light Apple.

Reflecting on his story, he joked: “Let me show you where a man’s wealth really lies,” pointing to a garage stocked with beer.